On My Mind

Gratefully, lab results came through and dr ordered bactrim late this afternoon for 7-days

sending the Viking to the ER at this point is a last resort although had her BP started rising with the fever then I'd be concerned about sepsis again and that was one nightmare I don't want to repeat

Just one comment...Caregivers take care of yourself. I spend time with my aging sick mom every day and work part time but I also have to set time aside to read my Bible, listen to inspirational music or podcasts, and briskly walk, do aerobics or yoga every day. I couldn't keep my sanity if I didn't do the above. Yes, I'm still weary by the end of the day but I've released some of the stress.

MsMadge,
I would call the lab myself. Even if they won't give you the results, you can start there to be sure the results are sent to a real doctor right away, or even request results be sent to the E.R.

So, your Mom needs to be seen, try the E.R. ???

What happened to the medical care system anyway? Used to treat within 1 day, then change the rx. according to the culture results.

Madge, once when mom had a culture for a UTI results hadn't come in five days later. Finally found out it was a contaminated sample and they had to redo it. Yes, she had a UTI, I knew it. Why this takes so long, I will never understand. Thinking of you and that Viking.

Barb's idea of calling EMT is an excellent one.

Ms. Madge, is calling EMTs or other medical transport (or just threatening to) an option here?

I'm sorry MsMadge. I wish I had more than that to offer you but I don't 😟🤗

It is so difficult to manage care in a facility -
urinalysis was ordered Friday evening, and we still don't have lab results yet- her doctor is on vacation this week, and the covering doc won't prescribe anything

meanwhile mom is sick and her already Viking self is getting worked up into a frenzy

I did a midnight bed check and she sounded like an animal growling - couldn't get her to say prayers and she said she was going to kick my a$$

(((Hugs))) Madge, hoping the Viking gets to feeling better soon.

(((((((madge))))))) hope the Viking feels better soon 🙏 🙏 🙏

Madge, sorry to hear about mom. Hope it is figured out soon and easily treated.

Shoot, Madge. Hugs and good thoughts to you and the Viking.

Well, looks like I spoke too soon, the Viking is still running a low grade fever and so we're ordering an urinalysis - hate to cath her to collect the sample but she's clearly fighting something and it doesn't seem to be cold or flu - she says terrible when I ask her how she feels -

MsMadge,

Good that your Mom's illness was transitory.

Keiro no hi is on Monday Sept. 21

敬老の日 Keiro no hi “Respect for the Aged Day” is a Japanese holiday celebrated on the 3rd Monday of September to honor elderly citizens. On this day, people express respect and gratitude for the elderly's contributions to society and celebrate their longevity.

looking like it was a short lived bug - fever and some vomiting - she slept last night and is eating her oatmeal for breakfast

King Henry the VIII was very much interested in herbal medicine. He notice the wise women of the poor villages were treating them with herbal remedies because they could not afford the typical healthcare.

So he implemented laws into place. The Charter of King Henry VIII, to ensure affordable health care for the poor, to legalize herbal medicine and to protect those who practiced it.

MsMadge,
Hoping your Mother's temperature is back to normal tonight.

DOCTORS! Some way too old to be talking about Alzheimer's treatment. There is so much attention to Alzheimer's right now with the walks happening on Saturday. Every newspaper has articles in it now. Our local paper, a local doctor, had his MIL on some medication that he says slowed the progression of Alzheimer's. How does he know? Nothing to measure against. The meds were probably only actually treating symptoms.

Though he was an old, retired doctor, maybe he just does not stay up-to-date? Or once you have it so close to home, you think of it a different way, denial? Look at Dr. Oz, he did not recognize symptoms in his own mom.

Prayers for the Viking! Hope she feels better real soon! Don't you dare feel guilty MsMadge, you are an Amazing Daughter to your Mom, I don't think I've ever heard of a more dedicated daughter to their Mom in a Nursing home than you, and we all know how much work you do. These things just happen out of the blue. Thinking of you! 🌺🌺🌺

madge - hugs and prayers for you and the Viking. Keep us updated. 🌺🌺🌺

Madge, sorry to read about the Viking running a temp. No reason for you to feel guilty, you are with her so often. Hope all will go well.

I'm sorry MsMadge - honestly, you turn your back for ONE minute and...

Hope it's a blip and she's feeling better very soon. What will Hoca do to keep an eye on her, did they say?

Nurse phoned tonight and said the Viking had a fever - she never runs a fever - usually below normal

I asked her to check BP and respirations - both were lower than usual

feeling guilty for not going to see her after work but it was late and she was sleeping

Took my brother to new ophthalmologist this morning. His Parkinson’s is affecting his eyes and he had a fall which caused some vision problems. He saw a new young woman, graduate of Harvard Medical School, did residency at University North Carolina Eye Institute at Chapel Hill, NC. She found early signs of macular degeneration. She gave him the usual macular instructions. But added sit out in the direct sunlight wearing sunglasses daily. The sunlight slows progression. She said this is also now recommended for nearsightedness. I was a little skeptical. I called my mom’s former specialist at Cincinnati Eye Institute. He agreed said a lot of good newer research had indicated these findings.

Yoda is ......

No shoes needed in heaven:
Exodus
" remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

Here's a musing...
My mother gave out her Medicare number to a cold caller scam artist this week. Come to find out, she can't see well so she read him the wrong number.
In other words, she inadvertently scammed the scammer!
Serves him right.
I told her not to pick up the phone for numbers she doesn't know. And if she inadvertently does, to start talking about her bowels... lol That should get him off the phone real quick!

Today we went to the Italian festival. It is an annual tradition, we go with my husbands best friend L and every year we would run in to his parents there so we would all hang out together. Last summer his brothers family moved back to the area so now we all meet out there and enjoy good food, good music and good company. We all look forward to it every year. Today was not a good day though. Started out bad and ended even worse. We started out having great difficulty finding parking because they had shut down the surrounding streets because of the parade. After that debacle, we walked down to the festival and had to stand in a long slow line to buy tokens for food and drinks. They no longer allow you to pay at each booth, this year they had a very confusing colored token system. We first went to get an Arancini (rice ball that is fried and stuffed with meat and cheese & covered with sauce) and a pasta & meatballs plate. Got annoyed when we were told to move several times while we were eating, or that alcohol wasn’t allowed in that area (the guys had a beer). We all ate and then some of us went off to look at the vendor booths or get in line for ice cream. Our friends dad, D, went over to sit under a tree by the bocce ball tournament. He had complaining that his stomach was hurting after he had a sausage sandwich. His wife and daughter went off somewhere. My husband was talking to some old coworkers. I went with our friends brother to get the kids some ice cream. He got ice cream for the boys and I had to get more tokens so I got those and then had to stand in a very long ice cream long to get my daughter an ice cream. So I got her ice cream and we are walking up the steps torward the bocce ball area and I saw a bunch of firefighters and park rangers standing around D! I sprinted over there and everyone was with him-his wife, his kids, my husband. Apparently he and L were standing under the tree and D said he felt nauseous, like he was going to be sick and then he just turned grey and clammy and collapsed! Thank God L was with him, he caught him and called 911. D refused to be transported so his daughter took him and L & his brother R were gonna meet them at the hospital. We don’t know what’s wrong with D yet. He is 83, he’s been in great shape but over the last 2 years, he’s really started aging and having problems. Today he was using a walking stick because his leg has been giving him problems. He was standing up and talking when I got back with the ice cream so I am hoping it is nothing too serious.

I honestly had no idea that people took pictures of the dead many many years ago! I guess I thought it was something that us younger folks started doing now that most everyone has a phone with a camera on it! My gosh 1927 was almost 90 years ago!

Luckylu I’m with you—who needs shoes in heaven? My MIL was not buried in shoes. You just reminded me though, when my grandmother died I tried to open her casket after the funeral! I was only 6 though and I just wanted to see her again. I don’t know that she was even in the casket, she was cremated but I don’t know if it was before or after the funeral. My uncle saw and quickly stopped me. I’m horrified now—not only because of my blatant disrespect but if my grandmother was in that casket and I opened it, my family would have been so upset!

The night we were at the funeral home I pulled out Mother's dress she would wear and the Cross that my Father had given her that she wanted to be buried in and my 2 brother's got out their camera and took pictures of the necklace and it was so disrespectful and tacky to me.
The next day,one of my brother's called me at home and told me to bring Mother some shoes.That he had looked in the casket and saw she only had on socks.
That was so disrespectful.Who opens a casket and you don't need shoes in Heaven.

I remember a photo my FIL showed me once of his GM. She was dressed laid out in bed with her grown children circling the bed. She was dead. I think she died in 1927.

And today there are drive through funeral homes where the deceased in casket is available for viewing.